| Walter Bettridge | |
| Fullname: | Walter Bettridge[1] |
| Height: | [2] |
| Birth Date: | 26 October 1886[3] |
| Birth Place: | Oakthorpe, England |
| Death Place: | Measham, England |
| Position: | Right back |
| Years4: | –1909 |
| Years5: | 1909–1922 |
| Years6: | 1922–1923 |
| Clubs1: | Oakthorpe Albion |
| Clubs2: | Measham United |
| Clubs3: | Worksop Town |
| Clubs4: | Burton United |
| Clubs5: | Chelsea |
| Clubs6: | Gillingham |
| Clubs7: | Peterborough & Fletton United |
| Caps5: | 224 |
| Caps6: | 19 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
Walter Bettridge (26 October 1886 – 23 December 1931) was an English professional footballer who made over 220 appearances for Chelsea in the Football League. He was a "lightweight" right back who was "fearless in stopping forwards".[4]
A right back, Bettridge began his career with local non-League clubs Oakthorpe Albion, Measham United, Worksop Town and Burton United. He transferred to First Division club Chelsea in 1909 and was a part of the club's 1911–12 Second Division promotion-winning and 1915 FA Cup final-losing squads. Either side of the First World War, Bettridge made 255 appearances for the club. In June 1922,[5] aged 36, he joined Gillingham of the Third Division South, where he spent one season,[6] before finishing his career with Peterborough & Fletton United.[7]
In January 1916, during the First World War, Bettridge enlisted in as an air mechanic in the Royal Flying Corps. He trained as a fitter and attained the rank of air mechanic 1st class. After serving in both the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force at the Royal Aircraft Factory, Bettridge was demobilized in 1919. He died in December 1931, aged 45.[8]
| Season | League | National cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Chelsea | 1909–10 | First Division | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| 1910–11 | Second Division | 37 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 43 | 0 | ||
| 1911–12 | Second Division | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| 1912–13 | First Division | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 0 | ||
| 1913–14 | First Division | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | ||
| 1914–15 | First Division | 25 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 33 | 0 | ||
| 1919–20 | First Division | 41 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 46 | 0 | ||
| 1920–21 | First Division | 28 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 34 | 0 | ||
| Total | 224 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 255 | 0 | |||
| Gillingham | 1922–23 | Third Division South | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| Career total | 243 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 274 | 0 | |||
Chelsea